Abhrasnata Das
The textile state of India, Gujarat, is often described as the “growth engine” for India’s economy. Over the years, the state's textile industry has made rapid strides, evolving as a leader not just in domestic but also in the global domain. The state is now the second largest exporter of textiles and jute goods in the world. Gujarat’s textile industry accounts for 18% of global silk production and 59% of the world’s loom capacity, making it the second-largest region for textile manufacturing capacity in the world today.

Today, 12 percent of India's total textile exports is satisfied by the state and it offers a wide range of benefits to its textile industry, including industry-friendly legislation, robust infrastructure (from roads to ports), 30 sanctioned textile parks, entrepreneurship, and access to a variety of resources, etc. Gujarat possesses the full ecosystem that is necessary to build a robust textile industry, from cotton, yarn, and fabric to processing and training facilities. In this article let's look at the key moves that have boosted the growth of Gujarat's textile industry in the past and will lead the way for a robust future.

Robust Educational Infrastructure

The potential of every industry to develop and prosper is determined by the efficiency and knowledge of its employees. By concentrating on Gujarat's educational infrastructure, the significance of this phrase may be appreciated. In Gujarat, there are around 28 industrial training institutes (ITIs) that provide training courses in the textile and garment industries, with a total intake of 6000 students. Cutting and Sewing, Cutting and Embroidery, and Needle Work Computer-aided Dress Making and Dress Design, Tailoring, Pattern Making, Finishing Garment Checking, and other textile development courses are available at these institutes.

There are many colleges in the state which offer bachelor's and master’s degrees in textile technology. Along with the Ahmedabad Textile Industrial Research Association (ATIRA), the Man-made Textile Research Association (MANTRA), the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), the Apparel and Leather Technics (ALT) Training College, the National Institute of Design (NID), and the Surat Education and Research Society, there are also other major academic institutions across the state that offer 18 training programmes.
On top of that, the textile firms of Gujarat also make massive investments in upscaling their workforce. For example — Surendranagar-based Trylo Intimates has a facility with 300 sewing machines and invests roughly Rs. 50,000 each operator in thorough training. The corporation pays its workforce from day one, and it takes around 8 to 9 months for these workers to reach their full potential.

Wide Availability of Raw Materials

Gujarat is the leading producer of textile raw materials. Whether be it cotton, or silk, the state has established an acute dominance on the production of necessary raw materials. As per multiple reports, Gujarat is the leading cotton producer, producing 1,615 million kg of cotton in 2016-17. Gujarat produces around 28% of India's total cotton and exports 60% of the country's fiber. The primary cotton-producing districts are Surendranagar, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, and Amreli. Cotton production is further aided by the state's meteorological and geographical circumstances, which include black soil mixed with lime and potash and a rainfall of 50 cm, which are ideal for cotton growing.

Gujarat also produces 30% of the country's woven fabric, has more than 50% of the country's processing machinery manufacturers, and 90% of the country's weaving machinery manufacturers. It is also a major producer of technical textile textiles, accounting for 25% of the country's total technical textile fabric output.

The high availability of raw material on the flip side boosts the manufacturing of textile in the state. With less or no transportation cost, the cost of producing textiles, also considerably decreases.

Presence of Textile Hubs and Parks

Gujarat has a wide presence of textile hubs and parks. To be exact, Gujarat has 1500 medium and large textile units. The state also has 18 textile-related project clusters. Moreover, the state is the forerunner in the nation’s first mega textile sector, PM MITRA.

This scheme will further offer an opportunity to create a single location integrated value chain, power-packed with all the latest machinery covering – spinning, weaving, processing/dyeing, printing, and garment manufacturing.

This in turn is helping the industry to involve global investors into their ecosystem. Some of the key industry players that have presence in Gujarat include Arvind Mills, Welspun, Vardhman Group, Alok Industries, Raymond, Garden Silk Mills, Mafatlal, and Aditya Birla Nuvo.

Way to the Future

Gujarat’s textile industry has evolved as a leader and has established a deep-rooted dominance in the overall ecosystem. The state’s textile industry is responsible for about 10% of the manufacturing production in the state, generates 13% of India’s total exports, and contributes 2% of the GDP.

That being said, the dearth of technological advancement has been growing challenges in front of the industry. The software exports and hardware installations are lagging behind in comparison to other Indian states. There has been a determined effort to enhance production by adding more power looms to facilities. However, in order to completely maximize capacity, a push toward automation will be necessary at some point.

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